They keep sending me B1G1 coupons in my email (like at least once a week!) and since the nearest location is 3 mins away from me I can’t resist.

I absolutely love their chocolate chocolate chip pancakes!

They are soo absolutely delicious! They are extremely chocolaty!

Like “omg I’m getting a cavity eating this but I can’t stop” kinda sweet!

So I decided to make my own version and Chris actually said he liked mine better.

And coming from him (a complete ihop junkie that is ok with eating ihop everyday for the rest of his life!) it really means a lot 🙂

So you know these are good!

They are light, fluffy, full of chocolate chips, but not overly sweet, topped with some whipped cream and syrup – the perfect weekend breakfast 🙂

And by the way, I’m obsessed with the song One More Night by Maroon 5! Like completely obsessed!

I have it on repeat and I’ve heard it more times in the past 2 days then it should be legal.

And every time I hear it while driving, I turn it all the way up and sing obnoxiously loud…

Won’t be surprised if I cause an accident one day…..

One song I can’t stand right now Katy Perry – Wide Awake…

I love Katy Perry, but this song I just can’t fricking stand…

Every time I hear it it makes me cringe and I have to change the station right away.

Like it pretty much gives me a headache…

SO what songs are you obsessed with right now?

How about least favorite? 🙂

Stars: 5

Level: Easy

Comments: These are great! Fluffy chocolaty pancakes! I make a big batch and freeze them 🙂

Negatives: Not the healthiest pancake recipe but super tasty so its worth it!

WIll I make these again? Yes 100 times.

Now go make some pancakes!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Makes 6 pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

5 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

chocolate chips, whipped cream and syrup to serve

Directions: In a bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients together. In a measuring cup, measure the buttermilk add the egg and vanilla and whisk to combine. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until all the dry ingredients are wet, but don’t overmix -the batter should be a little lumpy.

Over medium heat, melt some butter in a skillet and let it get a hot. Pour about 1/3 cup of batter into the skillet and let it cook until little bubbles form all over the surface. Flip and cook until the other side browns too. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

To keep pancakes warm : Preheat oven to 200F. Place the cooked pancakes on a cookie sheet and keep warm in the oven.

Serve 2 pancakes a person. In between each pancakes place some chocolate chips 🙂 And since the pancakes are warm the chocolate chips will melt and be all gooey 🙂 Top with whipped cream and syrup! Enjoy 🙂

So last night I wanted to get my asian fix at home, so I figured why not make some chicken and drown it in sweet yet tangy yet slightly spicy honey sauce?

That sounds tasty, right?

And boy was it good!

Chris was all over it and asking for seconds.

And when he found out that there weren’t any he asked if I’m gonna finish my plate lol.

Seriously finger licking delish!

It does take a little more work than most of my recipes, but it’s pretty quick. You should have it on the table in about 35 mins 🙂

And once again, I cheated on my diet… With my nemesis…McDonalds….

Ahh what can I say, I was starving at work and that’s the easiest and quickest thing to get…

but tomorrow I will try really hard to keep up with my diet and I’ll even bring lunch to work so I’m not tempted again 🙂

Well see how it goes..

Stars: 4

Level: Moderate

Comments: The glaze is to.die.for!

Negatives: A little time consuming and be careful not to burn yourself when frying the chicken pieces!

Will I make it again? Yes but next time I will serve the glaze over some grilled chicken to make it a little healthier!

Honey Glazed Chicken

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup – 1 tbsp water

3 tbsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

generous dash of salt and pepper

oil for frying

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp sesame oil (or olive oil)

1 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 tsp white vinegar

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1/4 tsp chopped ginger

chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Directions: In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, egg, cornstarch, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, pepper and water and whisk until it resembles a pancake batter.

In a large saucepan, over medium high heat, heat up about 4 tbsp of oil. You want the pan to get hot, but not the point of smoking.

Dredge the chicken pieces into the batter, shake off excess batter and fry in the hot pan. Cook for about 4-5 mins per side or until they are golden brown.

In a saucepan combine the honey, soy, cornstarch, oil, hoisin, vinegar, garlic and ginger. Cook over medium high heat (stirring occasionally) for about 10 mins or until the sauce thickens and turns into a glaze.

In a bowl, combine the chicken and honey sauce. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and green onions. Serve 🙂

Comments: Hearty soup that is filling and great on your wallet! Leftovers are fantastic!

Negatives: None

Will I make it again? Yes 🙂

Ham and Potato Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup celery, diced

1 1/2 cup ham, cubed

4 cups diced potatoes

3 1/2 cups chicken broth, reduced sodium

1 chicken bouillon cube, crushed

4 tbsp butter

4 tbsp flour

2 cups milk (I used skim)

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

salt and pepper

Directions:

In a dutch oven over medium high heat, heat the oil. When hot (but not smoking) add the onions. Cook for 3 mins. Add the garlic and celery and cook for another 2 mins. Add the ham, potatoes, broth and crushed bouillon cube. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15mins.

In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook for 1 min. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly, breaking up any lumps.

Add the milk mixture to the potato soup and stir to combine. Cook for 20mins.

Add the peas and cook for 5 mins.

Turn the heat off and add the cheese. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.

So a few days ago, I was going through a stack of old magazines and newspapers that have been pilling up on my dresser for a while now and since we are moving soon, it was time to throw away and organize some things. Well as I was going through the junk, an ad popped at me.

A pizza ad to be exact.

And since hubs was right next to me, he noticed. And he said that he was craving pizza. Badly.

So of course I had to make some.

He rarely has any requests when it comes to food so when he does I try to accommodate him as much as possible.

All he wanted on his pizza was chicken, bacon and ranch.

I made it happen and it turned out fricken fa-bu-lous 🙂

I love making homemade pizza! I just really don’t see the point in spending $15-$20 on something that is really cheap to make! I also love that I know exactly what goes in it and can customize it however I want:)

Stars: 5

Level: Easy to moderate

Comments: If you buy dough from the store this comes together in a pinch! You can also get rotisserie chicken to save time. We loved this pizza!

Negatives: none

Will I make it again? Yes definitely

If you can, make your own dough, the recipe I use is very easy to make and super quick so you definitely need to give it try.

But if you are short on time go ahead and cheat, its ok 🙂 You can get pizza dough from your local grocery store or ask your favorite pizza place and they might sell you some!

Cover the crust with the tomato sauce. Top with shredded chicken, bacon and cheese.

Bake for 23-25mins.

Let cool for 5 mins then drizzle ranch all over!

Devour 🙂

Notes:

– To shred chicken breasts: In a pot, bring about 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the chicken breasts, return to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 30mins or until the chicken is easily pierced with a fork. Let it cool and shred with your fingers or 2 forks.

Alright so today I will be sharing a really easy recipe that requires minimum work and a few pantry-staple ingredients 🙂

Easy. Breezy. Beautiful. Chicken Parm!

The chicken is juicy and covered in yummy marinara and lots of gooey cheese, served with some linguine in marinara and some crusty garlic bread – you have a perfectly ahhmazing meal that was really easy to make 🙂

And since the chicken is baked rather than fried, it makes it healthier. So go ahead and pile on the cheese 🙂

Stars: 4

Level: Easy

Comments: Very easy healthier chicken parm!

Negatives: None.

Will I make it again? Yes

Lighter Chicken Parmesan

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 to 1/2 in thickness

1 egg

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp dried basil

salt and pepper

3/4 cup marinara sauce

4 slices of mozzarella

extra shredded parmesan for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Whisk the egg in a bowl. Mix the flour, panko, parmesan, garlic. basil in a shallow dish. Salt and pepper both sides of your chicken breasts, then dip the chicken first in the egg then in the flour mixture. Place on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 16mins flipping once halfway through.

In a 8×8 baking dish, pour 1/4 cup of the sauce. Top with the cooked chicken breast, then with the remaining marinara. Top with a few slices of mozzarella and a generous amount of shredded parmesan.

Bake for another 5-8 mins or until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with some chopped fresh basil.

The meat-a-balls are very flavorful and moist and stuffed with cheese!

Served with marinara and some crusty (cheesy) bread and some more cheese sprinkled on top and we are talking about a meal I can eat all day/every day and won’t get sick of.

And it’s actually very easy to make, but definitely impressive enough for company 🙂

So I think I will start doing yoga or Pilates since the gym thing hasn’t been motivating me lately.

So tomorrow I’ll get a yoga mat and some dvds and give that a go… and if I like it I might even take a class or two.

Maybe that will get me to workout more and release some stress 🙂

And it will definitely make me feel better when I’m eating something really tasty and not soo healthy 🙂

I love it when I can say “Hey I worked out today so I definitely deserve this entire pint of Ben n Jerrys!”

If you guys have any recommendations on yoga/pilates dvds lemme know 🙂

Stars: 4.5

Level: Easy

Comments: Everything that you love about spaghetti and meatballs just stuffed with mozzarella. Over the top and fabulous!

Negatives: Don’t overstuff your meatballs with cheese or they might ‘pop’ a little but its alright if they do still really yummy!

Will I make these again? Yes quick meal that’s really comforting what’s not to love?

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs in Quick Marinara Sauce

Serve 3

Ingredients:

about 2 tbsp olive oil

1 lbs ground chuck

1 egg

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup shredded parmesan

1/4 tsp dried basil

salt and pepper

4 oz block mozzarella cut into 1 in cubes

1/2 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

6 oz can tomato paste

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Worcheshire sauce

1 tsp italian seasoning

salt and pepper

4 basil leaves, chopped

serve over cooked spaghetti

Directions: In a bowl combine ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan, dried basil, salt and some pepper. Mix with your hands until the mixture comes together but don’t overmix. Take about 1/4 cup of the meat mixture, flatten it in your palm put 1 cube of mozzarella in the middle and shape it into a meatball. Repeat with the rest of the meat mixture.

In a dutch oven over medium heat, heat up the olive oil until nice and hot. Drop in the meatballs and brown on all sides, don’t worry if they are not cooked all the way through. Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate. Add the onions and garlic to the dutch oven, scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan and cook for 5 mins or until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally. Add in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and all the seasoning (just not the fresh basil), bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 30mins. Add the meatballs and simmer for another 30mins. Add the fresh basil. Serve with cooked pasta, more fresh basil and more mozzarella 🙂

And I know I must be getting annoying with all the Biscoff recipes, but seriously it’s like the best stuff ever and you need to go get a jar before I buy it all and there’s none left 🙂

And if working out consisted of running to the kitchen to have another spoonful of Biscoff then I’m running a triathlon… And sadly it’s the only kind of workout I’ve been getting…. Thank God summer is almost over so I don’t have to worry about fitting in my tiny bikini… and can eat all the cheese and bacon I want…

until Spring comes and then it’s crunch time and the treadmill becomes my bff again 🙂

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine the crushed crackers and butter and spread on a pie plate. Spread with your fingers to resemble a crust (put up the sides too!) Bake for 8mins. Completely cool then store in the fridge until ready to use.

For the Dark Chocolate Layer:

1 cup dark chocolate chips, melted

4 oz fat-free cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup heavy cream, cold

1/8 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp instant espresso powder

Directions: In a bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the melted chocolate and beat to combine. Add the heavy cream and beat until stiff peaks form. In a small cup combine the vanilla and espresso and stir so the espresso dissolves. Add to the cheesecake mixture. Add the powdered sugar and beat to combine.

For the Biscoff Layer

4 oz fat-free cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup Biscoff spread

3/4 cup heavy cream, cold

1/8 cup powdered sugar

Directions: Beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the Biscoff and beat to combine. Add the heavy cream and beat until stiff peaks form. Add in the powdered sugar and beat to combine.

To assemble: Take the graham cracker crust out of the fridge and top it with a layer of chocolate cheesecake and then a layer of biscoff. Refrigerate for at least 4hrs. Serve with slightly sweetened whipped cream and a drizzle of melted Biscoff spread. 🙂